Cactus-apple (Opuntia engelmannii)

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Identidad taxonómica

Scientific name: Opuntia engelmannii Salm-Dyck ex Engelm.
Canonical name: The scientific name without its authorship or date, for example Zea mays instead of Zea mays L.: Opuntia engelmannii
Authorship: The author or authors credited with publishing the scientific name. It is written after the name, sometimes with the year, for example L. (Linnaeus) in Zea mays L. An author in parentheses first published the name in another genus or rank.: Salm-Dyck ex Engelm.
Common names: Cactus-apple, Cow Tongue Prickly Pear, Cow's Tongue Cactus, Desert Prickly Pear, Discus Prickly Pear, Engelmann's Pricklypear, Engelmann's prickly-pear, Small Round-Leaved Prickly Pear, Small Roundleaf Prickly Pear, Texas prickly-pear, cowtongue cactus, cowtongue prickly-pear, desert prickly-pear, discus prickly-pear, few-spine marble-fruit prickly-pear, tuna
Names in other languages (15)
/, Figo-pera-lanoso, Nopal Cuijo, Nopal arrastradillo, Oponce d’Engelmann, Oponce d’Engelmann, Opuntia d’Engelmann, Opuntia d’Engelmann, cholla, chumbera, héel, kleinrondeblaarturksvy, luumuopuntia, opuncia Engelmannova, opuncja Engelmanna, Опунция Энгельманна
Kingdom: One of the broadest ranks of biological classification. It groups organisms that share very basic features, for example plants (Plantae), animals (Animalia) or fungi (Fungi).: Plantae
Phylum: Rank below kingdom that groups organisms with a shared general body plan, for example chordates (Chordata), arthropods (Arthropoda) or vascular plants (Tracheophyta). In botany the same rank is also called division.: Tracheophyta
Class: Rank below phylum, for example mammals (Mammalia), birds (Aves), insects (Insecta) or monocot plants such as grasses and orchids (Liliopsida).: Magnoliopsida
Order: Rank below class that groups related families, for example grasses and their relatives (Poales) or bats (Chiroptera).: Caryophyllales
Family: Rank below order that groups related genera. Family names usually end in -aceae in botany (for example Poaceae, the grass family) and in -idae in zoology (for example Felidae, the cat family).: Cactaceae
Genus: Rank that groups closely related species. Its name is the first word of a species' scientific name and starts with a capital letter, for example Zea in Zea mays.: Opuntia
Specific epithet: The second word of a species' scientific name. On its own it does not name the species: it always goes with the genus, for example mays in Zea mays.: engelmannii
Taxonomic rank: The level a name occupies in the hierarchy of biological classification, such as kingdom, family, genus, species or subspecies.: species
Reference species: Opuntia engelmannii
Taxonomic status: Whether the taxonomic catalogue the record comes from currently accepts this name for the organism, or treats it as a synonym of another accepted name or as doubtful.: accepted name

Photos and conservation status

IUCN Red List category: The extinction-risk category that the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) assigns to a species on its Red List. EX Extinct: there is no reasonable doubt that the last individual has died. EW Extinct in the wild: it survives only in cultivation, in captivity or as a population far outside its past range. CR Critically endangered, EN Endangered and VU Vulnerable: the three threatened categories, from an extremely high to a high risk of extinction in the wild. NT Near threatened: close to qualifying as threatened. LC Least concern: evaluated and not threatened. DD Data deficient: there is not enough information to assess its risk. NE Not evaluated: not yet assessed against the criteria. It describes the risk of the species worldwide, not its situation in a project's area.: Not available.

No photos have been requested for this species yet.

Interacciones documentadas

GloBI says it is documented somewhere in the world. Biolitica answers whether it could happen here.

A documented interaction means it was recorded somewhere in the world. It does not mean it occurs here.

Types shown: 8 of 8 interacts with (this species is the record's destination) × is visited by × is a host of × interacts with (this species is the record's origin) × is eaten by × has its flowers visited by × has as a parasite × is adjacent to ×

Blocks that do not sit under a navigation concept heading keep the source's own term: no navigation concept has been assigned to them yet.

interacts with 105 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it.

Organism	Reads as	Studies	Where it was documented	Actions
Diadasia opuntiae Apidae	interacts with	300	not compared
300 sources · 300 records https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43940309 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 6, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43940310 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 6, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43940311 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 45 km east of Agua Prieta · May 18, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43940312 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 45 km east of Agua Prieta · May 18, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43940320 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 22, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43940321 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 22, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43940322 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 22, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43940325 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 22, 2007 · Preserved specimen And 292 more sources, with fewer records, not listed here. A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Cactus Bee Diadasia rinconis Apidae	interacts with	267	not compared
267 sources · 276 records https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=64600425 Published in globalbioticinteractions/ut-utbfl Record contexts (sample): no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen; no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=64600426 Published in globalbioticinteractions/ut-utbfl Record contexts (sample): no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen; no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=64600427 Published in globalbioticinteractions/ut-utbfl Record contexts (sample): no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen; no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=64600428 Published in globalbioticinteractions/ut-utbfl Record contexts (sample): no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen; no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=64600429 Published in globalbioticinteractions/ut-utbfl Record contexts (sample): no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen; no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=64600430 Published in globalbioticinteractions/ut-utbfl Record contexts (sample): no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen; no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=64600431 Published in globalbioticinteractions/ut-utbfl Record contexts (sample): no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen; no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=64600432 Published in globalbioticinteractions/ut-utbfl Record contexts (sample): no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen; no place published · May 24, 2013 · Preserved specimen And 259 more sources, with fewer records, not listed here. A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Parosela Long-horned Bee Melissodes paroselae Apidae	interacts with	70	not compared
70 sources · 70 records https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43909442 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 22, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43909443 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 22, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43909444 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 22, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43909445 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 22, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43909446 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 22, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43909447 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 22, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43909448 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 22, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43909449 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 22, 2007 · Preserved specimen And 62 more sources, with fewer records, not listed here. A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Lasioglossum Halictidae	interacts with	51	not compared	Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
51 sources · 51 records https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43915430 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 45 km east of Agua Prieta · May 9, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43915450 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 45 km east of Agua Prieta · May 18, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43916628 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 11, 2005 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43916629 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 11, 2005 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43916691 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 23, 2005 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43920239 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 6, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43920241 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 30 km east of Agua Prieta · May 6, 2007 · Preserved specimen https://scan-bugs.org:443/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=43920251 Published in globalbioticinteractions/scan Context: 45 km east of Agua Prieta · May 18, 2007 · Preserved specimen And 43 more sources, with fewer records, not listed here. A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.

Showing 4 of 105, by number of studies See more of this type

is visited by 35 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it.

Organism	Reads as	Studies	Where it was documented
Diadasia opuntiae Apidae	is visited by	1	no location
1 source · 1 record https://sas.rochester.edu/bio/sites/minckley/index.php/bee-plant-data/ Published in globalbioticinteractions/minckly-san-bernardino-valley-2000-2011 Context: no place published · no date published A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Globe Mallow Bee Diadasia diminuta Apidae	is visited by	1	no location
1 source · 1 record https://sas.rochester.edu/bio/sites/minckley/index.php/bee-plant-data/ Published in globalbioticinteractions/minckly-san-bernardino-valley-2000-2011 Context: no place published · no date published A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Orange-tipped Woodborer Lithurgopsis apicalis Megachilidae	is visited by	1	no location
1 source · 1 record https://sas.rochester.edu/bio/sites/minckley/index.php/bee-plant-data/ Published in globalbioticinteractions/minckly-san-bernardino-valley-2000-2011 Context: no place published · no date published A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Prickly-pear Angled-Mason Ashmeadiella opuntiae Megachilidae	is visited by	1	no location
1 source · 1 record https://sas.rochester.edu/bio/sites/minckley/index.php/bee-plant-data/ Published in globalbioticinteractions/minckly-san-bernardino-valley-2000-2011 Context: no place published · no date published A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.

Showing 4 of 35, by number of studies See more of this type

is a host of 15 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it. In the source ontology symbiosis covers mutualism, commensalism and parasitism alike, so this block holds attackers and allies side by side.

Organism	Reads as	Studies	Where it was documented
Asphondylia betheli Cecidomyiidae	is a host of	4	not compared
4 sources · 4 records https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2770525 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · March 11, 2016 · Human observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2821190 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · March 22, 2016 · Human observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/2921787 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · April 11, 2016 · Human observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/13578974 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · June 18, 2018 · Human observation A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Ceratocarpia wrightii	is a host of	2	not compared
2 sources · 2 records https://mycoportal.org/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=1617577 Published in globalbioticinteractions/mycoportal Context: Austin · Oct. 1, 1900 · Preserved specimen Anonymous. 1960. Index of Plant Diseases in the United States. U.S.D.A. Agric. Handb. 165:1-531 Published in globalbioticinteractions/usda-fungus-host Context: United States · no date published A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Prickly Pear Leaf Spot Phyllosticta concava Phyllostictaceae	is a host of	2	not compared
2 sources · 2 records https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/204484703 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · March 29, 2024 · Human observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/204986842 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · April 1, 2024 · Human observation A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Anthostomella cacti Xylariaceae	is a host of	1	no location
1 source · 1 record Anonymous. 1960. Index of Plant Diseases in the United States. U.S.D.A. Agric. Handb. 165:1-531 Published in globalbioticinteractions/usda-fungus-host Context: United States · no date published A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.

Showing 4 of 15, by number of studies See more of this type

interacts with 9 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it.

Organism	Reads as	Studies	Where it was documented	Actions
Saguaro Carnegiea gigantea Cactaceae	interacts with	2	not compared
2 sources · 2 records https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/198692015 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · Feb. 1, 2024 · Human observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/336012216 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · Jan. 24, 2026 · Human observation A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Boxthorns Lycium Solanaceae	interacts with	1	not compared	Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
1 source · 1 record https://biorepo.neonscience.org/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=875510 Published in globalbioticinteractions/neon-biorepo Context: Domain 14, Santa Rita Experimental Range NEON · May 4, 2021 · Preserved specimen A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
burroweed Isocoma tenuisecta Asteraceae	interacts with	1	not compared
1 source · 1 record https://biorepo.neonscience.org/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=875510 Published in globalbioticinteractions/neon-biorepo Context: Domain 14, Santa Rita Experimental Range NEON · May 4, 2021 · Preserved specimen A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
smallseed sandmat Euphorbia polycarpa Euphorbiaceae	interacts with	1	not compared
1 source · 1 record https://biorepo.neonscience.org/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=875510 Published in globalbioticinteractions/neon-biorepo Context: Domain 14, Santa Rita Experimental Range NEON · May 4, 2021 · Preserved specimen A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.

Showing 4 of 9, by number of studies See more of this type

is eaten by 6 organisms

This term does declare that the organism harms this species.

Organism	Reads as	Studies	Where it was documented
Chelinidea vittiger Coreidae	is eaten by	3	not compared
3 sources · 3 records https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/5303228 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · March 12, 2017 · Human observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/12028560 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · April 29, 2018 · Human observation https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/16341435 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · Sept. 8, 2018 · Human observation A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
staghorn cholla moth Euscirrhopterus cosyra Noctuidae	is eaten by	1	not compared
1 source · 1 record https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/15965709 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · Aug. 26, 2018 · Human observation A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
House Finch Haemorhous mexicanus Fringillidae	is eaten by	1	not compared
1 source · 1 record https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/7290516 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · July 30, 2017 · Human observation A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Cactus Bee Diadasia rinconis Apidae	is eaten by	1	not compared
1 source · 1 record https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/4068434 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · April 29, 2006 · Human observation A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.

Showing 4 of 6, by number of studies See more of this type

Flower visit

has its flowers visited by 4 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it. Visiting a flower is not pollinating it. «Pollinates» is a different term and a different block, and merging the two is the measured defect that turned ~88 shared «pollinators» into birds and primates.

Organism	Reads as	Studies	Where it was documented
Costa's Hummingbird Calypte costae Trochilidae	has its flowers visited by	1	not compared
1 source · 1 record https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/156274011 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · April 23, 2023 · Human observation A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Cactus Bee Diadasia rinconis Apidae	has its flowers visited by	1	not compared
1 source · 1 record https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/4068434 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · April 29, 2006 · Human observation A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Broad-billed Hummingbird Cynanthus latirostris Trochilidae	has its flowers visited by	1	not compared
1 source · 2 records https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/364546549 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Record contexts (sample): no place published · May 6, 2026 · Human observation; no place published · May 6, 2026 · Human observation A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Melissodes communis communis Apidae	has its flowers visited by	1	not compared
1 source · 1 record https://www.inaturalist.org/observations/22852462 Published in globalbioticinteractions/inaturalist Context: no place published · April 20, 2019 · Human observation A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.

Showing 4 of 4, by number of studies

has as a parasite 3 organisms

This term does declare that the organism harms this species.

Organism	Reads as	Studies	Where it was documented
Parasitoid wasp Jaliscoa hunteri Pteromalidae	has as a parasite	1	no location
1 source · 1 record Gibson2013 via Universal Chalcidoidea Database Published in globalbioticinteractions/natural-history-museum-london-interactions-bank Context: no place published · no date published A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Encarsia subelongata Aphelinidae	has as a parasite	1	no location
1 source · 1 record MyartsEv2008 via Universal Chalcidoidea Database Published in globalbioticinteractions/natural-history-museum-london-interactions-bank Context: no place published · no date published A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
Parasitoid wasp Plagiomerus diaspidis Encyrtidae	has as a parasite	1	no location
1 source · 1 record CoronaRuTr998 via Universal Chalcidoidea Database Published in globalbioticinteractions/natural-history-museum-london-interactions-bank Context: no place published · no date published A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.

Showing 3 of 3, by number of studies

is adjacent to 2 organisms

The authority declares no effect on this species for this term: neither that it harms it nor that it benefits it.

Organism	Reads as	Studies	Where it was documented	Actions
Rhizochaete fouquieriae Phanerochaetaceae	is adjacent to	1	no location
1 source · 1 record https://mycoportal.org/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=2320059 Published in globalbioticinteractions/mycoportal Context: Near Soldier Trail, Mt. Lemmon Highway, Santa Catalina Mts. · Nov. 13, 1979 · Preserved specimen A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.
mjølhinnesoppar Trechispora	is adjacent to	1	no location	Not a modelling unit: the source publishes it at genus level.
1 source · 1 record https://mycoportal.org/portal/collections/individual/index.php?occid=2330977 Published in globalbioticinteractions/mycoportal Context: Soldier Trail area, Mt. Lemmon Hwy. · Nov. 13, 1979 · Preserved specimen A published relationship says these two taxa were documented interacting. It does not say how often, or that it happens in this project's region.

Showing 2 of 2, by number of studies

Interaction data from Global Biotic Interactions (GloBI), GloBI 0.11. Each row keeps the citation its own study published.

Interactions are published at species level: they are not resolved by variety or race.

Each block is headed by the source's own term, read from this species' end — not by a category of ours. Two similar terms are not merged.

«Documented here» means the interaction was observed in this territory. It is not evidence that the species is here, and it does not enter the niche model.

Acompañantes documentados

This agronomic reading comes from a source reserved for internal use, so it is not shown here.

Documented uses and recommendations

Uses and recommendations that a source documents for this species beside a crop, each in its own context. They are the source's statements, not traits of the species and not Biolítica's recommendations, and none of them is a relation between two species.

Among the sources you can read, none documents a use or recommendation of this species beside a crop.